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ESCHERICHIA COLI O157 IN IRISH FEEDLOT CATTLE: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY INVOLVING PREHARVEST AND HARVEST PHASES OF THE FOOD CHAIN
Author(s) -
MINIHAN DONAL,
WHYTE PAUL,
O'MAHONY MICHEÁL,
CLEGG TRACY,
COLLINS JOHN D.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of food safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4565
pISSN - 0149-6085
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4565.2003.tb00360.x
Subject(s) - feces , feedlot , biology , fecal coliform , veterinary medicine , zoology , preharvest , escherichia coli , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , water quality , botany , medicine , postharvest , biochemistry , gene
The aim of this study was to investigate fecal shedding and transmission of E. coli O157 in cohorts of cattle within a feedlot, to assess subsequent contamination of carcasses with this pathogen and to identify risk factors associated with fecal shedding of E. coli O157. A cohort of 133 heifers housed infour adjacent pens was examined over a five month period, from entering the feedlot to slaughter. Individual rectal fecal samples and pen environmental samples were taken at monthly intervals. The entire outer and inner surfaces of a carcass side of each animal were swabbed immediately following slaughter. E. coli O157 was isolated from 136 (23%) of the 600 rectal fecal samples; 96% of which contained virulent markers. One hundred and sixty environmental samples were examined and E. coli O157 was isolated from 46 (29%), all of which contained virulent markers. E. coli O157 was not isolated from any of the dressed carcasses. The prevalence of E. coli O157 fecal shedding may be related to the pen and E. coli O157 contamination of the pen floor feces, water trough and feed. E. coli O157 should be considered as a pathogen shed in the feces of a substantial proportion of feedlot cattle. However, with good hygienic practice at harvest, a very low level of this pathogen can be achieved on dressed carcasses.